<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Interlude I: "Promises to Keep" by Ozzyyy</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28521525">Interlude I: "Promises to Keep"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ozzyyy/pseuds/Ozzyyy'>Ozzyyy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Once Upon a December [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anarchist Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Anarchy, Antarctic Empire, Canon Compliant, Fix-It, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Phil Watson-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Phil and Techno are best friends, Phil is Feral, Phil is around 26 ihs, Pre-Canon, SMP Earth - Freeform, Techno is like. youngggish, Technoblade is Bad at Feelings (Video Blogging RPF), World Domination, ballpark 19, barely, kind of, maybe 18, so AWHILE ago essentially</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:27:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28521525</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ozzyyy/pseuds/Ozzyyy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>These woods are lovely, dark, and deep<br/>But I have promises to keep</p><p>And miles to go before I sleep<br/>And miles to go before I sleep. </p><p>--</p><p>Techno has a plan. It's crazy. It's insane, it's actually just batshit bonkers. But if chaos cannot be enjoyed together, then what's it worth, yeah? There's a certain beauty in watching the world burn from the center of the flames. Phil intends to be there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Technoblade &amp; Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Once Upon a December [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2089314</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>249</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Interlude I: "Promises to Keep"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! Look! A series! In the works! </p><p>This is just a small interlude/blurb/ thing that seems to fit right before the story starts :) The actual writing is in the works, I've got about two to three chapters done and some concepts written out for what I'm planning for it's future. It's gonna be very structured to start with but will turn into more individual stories within the universe, eventually leading to an overarching theme/plot ending, than one cohesive writing (like, say, a novel. more like a collection of short stories from the same world). Anyway yes this is a beginning interlude which doesn't make sense but go with it- ok-- </p><p>For clarity, yes this is *right* before Phil and Techno take the antarctic empire and start conquering shit! </p><p>tw: (none that i can think of?)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You're fucking crazy." Phil laughs, packing up his newest shipment of materials from cross border trade, "This is a joke. You're doing a joking thing with me." </p><p>Techno raises an eyebrow, still lurched over the spread out sheet of a map before him, glasses perched low on his nose. His silence is palpable. Gentle turning of cogs and wheels in the distance are the only sound breaking the fragile quiet. </p><p>	"You're not joking." Phil asserts. </p><p>"I'm not," The other confirms with a huff, "I'm actually the opposite, if you think about it." </p><p>	"Conquer the whole world? Go edge to edge and claim every piece of land. You actually want to do it." Phil's mouth is slightly agape, appalled. With a simple swish of a blue sleeve, he stuffs the materials back in their transport boxes and straightens his coat. </p><p>Techno spreads a hand across the parchment, smoothing out the wrinkles, and beckons Phil over from his work station. They were in the lower bowels of the palace, where ice mixed with man made structures to create a chill wherever you walked. </p><p>	"It's not about takin' shit, though," He says under his breath, bated, "This isn't what you think." </p><p>"And what am I thinking?" </p><p>	"You're thinkin' I've lost it," Techno quirks a grin behind two solid tusks, the most amusement he's showed all day since being locked away in his room doing, well, this, apparently, "You're thinkin' the day's come when I bite off more than I can chew, and set myself up for misery by letting myself subcome to something like greed." He snorts the last bit, nose scrunched in disgust.</p><p>"I wasn't." Phil frowns, "Not exactly." </p><p>	"Well, don't worry, because for the most part, you'd probably be right." He sighs and skims his blunt nails through his hair, scratching at the scalp, "Most likely, I've lost my shit. Best case scenario, this works, worst case- we're condemned as war criminals for something that won't be a war crime." </p><p>"Let me decide for myself, first, Techno." Phil says, "I want to hear this plan. It's not domination, then?" </p><p>	"Not exactly. Not in the way brute men force themselves into spaces and take what they want. We'll go border to border, edge to edge, of the nation," Techno traces the thick outline of the land with his finger, "And make our mark. A flag, an effigy, something, to let them know we claim it. Create a blockage from every edge to stop anyone from getting in or getting out. We hold control of every item, or land, within the country."</p><p>Phil's mouth opens, words dying on his tongue when Techno flips up a hand to give him pause, "But," He adds, "We won't harm a single person. Not a drop of unneeded blood spilt, no items taken. We take their exits and escapes and trap everyone inside." </p><p>	"Okay, sure, but why?" Phil asks, placing his own palms face down on the table to glance between the map and Techno. The piglin grows a wicked smile, clearly pleased with himself. </p><p>"For many reasons. To give a message, is the first one." He backs off the table and saddles himself beside a railing just on the edge of a glacier. Behind him lay the open frigid waters, spotted with icebergs, and beyond them-- the very land they plotted for. Techno raises his hands to an unheard symphony, </p><p>"This world is fucked, Phil. Our purpose here is to command and kill, make peace or make war. Our borders have no hold on anything but the honor system. If a single person were to break that flimsy social wall, someone with the wrong intentions, we'd become fodder. It's to show we're less of a free people, and more of land bound rats." </p><p>	He turns, holding onto the railing, his long cape perched with furs swaying behind him. Phil rounds the table and joins his friend, peering over the ocean to the foggy distance. His chest twinges at the thought of being constrained, bound to their frosty isolation.</p><p> It wasn't an exile, no, but it certainly felt like one. They weren't exactly welcome on all lands without probably cause, and Phil found himself in a bit of cabin fever, with so little space or company. His wings raise the feathers along their ridge, avian hackles raised. </p><p>He knew Techno was right. This wasn't the way to do it, but he had a point. He'd often been on the other side of societal constraints that held no real meaning. Rules, laws, expectations-- merely shadows cast on a cave wall to distract you from living. Techno, more than him, understood that concept. It's what brought them together in the beginning. </p><p>"And the second one?" Phil asks, watching the mirrored ghost of breath escape Techno as it does him, watching the man's shoulders jostle with a chuckle. </p><p>	Techno turns to his friend with wild eyes, the often side-stepped wild chaotic nature now written like a eulogy across his mad grin and excitement. His voice reaches a higher note, slow but saccharine, like snail paced poison; </p><p>		"Because it'll be so fuckin' fun." </p><p>Phil can't help but laugh at that, watching Techno's excitement grow and ebb like a river flow he could stifle. </p><p>	"You got me. I think you're fuckin' crazy, mate." He admits after a moment, smiling not unkindly. </p><p>"Crazy enough to persuade you?" Techno asks, bumping his shoulder with the other man's, "C'mon. We might be kings after this. Imagine how pissy everyone will be." </p><p>	He rolls his eyes, "I think as long as we get out of this alive, we'll consider it a miracle." </p><p>Techno's ears perk, expression lit, "That sounds like a yes, Phil." </p><p>	"It's a yes, Techno, fuck," Phil chuckles as the other gives himself a short cheer, "You're gonna get us killed." </p><p>"Man, you and me," Techno gestures between the two of them, "We were meant to die young and like badasses anyway." </p><p>	"God, I forget how much of a goddamn child you are sometimes. Then you say shit like that--" He ruffles the other's hair, shoving Techno by the head away from him.</p><p>Their laughter dies down, both moved back from the (rather dangerous) railing and basking in the last glints of summer daylight before night fell. In the morning, plans would need to be made and action taken for this fucking insane idea that, for some reason, Phil can't bring himself to deny Techno of. </p><p>	He catches Techno's gaze in the sprinkling of light they hold along the rafters, seeing him in such awe and glow of pride. It's been months since he's seen the man have such motivation. </p><p>"You really okay going through with this? Taking over, you know," Techno scoffs, "Everything? Not gonna be easy. Especially the more non-violent route. Kind of a big ask."  He looks at Phil from the corner of his eye. </p><p>	Phil thinks, back to before they'd known each other that well. When their horizons were further and farther between, goals set to drive them apart, bringing them to knife point if needed be. It feels cliche to say someone could take the rougher edges of yourself and melt them, blazing ore in a furnace of hot coals being smoothed into a sharper blade. </p><p>But in that way, Techno had taken the too precautions side of him and shoved him into the spotlight. Lead him to dance with failure, play with the concept of being on the losing side if it meant your morals stayed true to their word. In their mirror, Phil had brought Techno down from a high horse. Got him to lay down his weapons for a moment to trust. Maybe only for a second, but those seconds meant everything. </p><p>Friends, brothers, son or father-- it didn't matter what it was called. It was construct of a better identity, healing of old wounds. In such a way that Phil didn't know how much of a better man he'd be if they'd never met. He owed him everything. Owed him a promise. </p><p>	Phil takes in a breath, small smile curled on his lips. </p><p>	"For you, the world, Techno."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The main beginning set up should be done soon! Interludes will be not *required* reading to understand the plit but they add some world to the... world-- i guess-- and give some depth to the characters. As I have it set up, there'll be about two more of these interludes for Antarctic Empire Pre-Story beginning stuff (the court trial/ the aftermath) :D </p><p>I hope you guys will enjoy it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>